Dried tomatoes, preserved in oil

If you want to prepare a larger quantity of dried tomatoes, you need to arm yourself with a lot of patience and be ready for a pleasant culinary experience. I dried about 1.5 kg of tomatoes, and from this quantity, I ended up with 3 jars of 200 grams, all done within a span of 2-3 hours. It is important to have all the ingredients ready, so we will start by washing the tomatoes very well under running water, making sure to remove any impurities. After washing, we let them dry completely to avoid excess water during the drying process.

The next step is to prepare the tray on which we will dry the tomatoes. We place a sheet of baking paper in the baking tray and turn the oven on to a minimum temperature. It is essential to have the spices at hand, as they will help enhance the flavors. We cut the tomatoes into thin slices, about 4-5 mm, using either a sharp knife or an electric slicer. It is important that the slices are uniform to dry evenly.

We place the tomato slices in the prepared tray, being careful not to overlap them but to lay them in a single layer. I chose to dry two trays at once, so I had more combinations of flavors. In one of the trays, I sprinkled coarse salt, peppercorns, a few whole garlic cloves (not chopped), and fresh basil leaves. In the second tray, I used coarse salt, black peppercorns, and fresh mint leaves. These combinations create a frenzy of aromas that begin to release as the tomatoes heat up.

We keep the heat on low and leave the oven door slightly ajar, just as you would when making meringues. During this time, the tomatoes will dry for about 2 hours, but you may need to leave them a little longer. When they become dry but not burnt, we turn off the oven and let them cool slightly inside the oven for a few minutes. After they have cooled, we take them out and place them on a rack to cool completely.

While the tomatoes are cooling, we prepare some sterilized jars. I added a few small olives, the size of a pinky nail, to each jar for extra flavor. We then place the dried tomato slices, a few roasted garlic cloves, peppercorns, and olives, and then fill each jar with olive oil. Finally, we sprinkle a dash of oregano on top, screw on the lid, and if necessary, wipe the jars to remove any stains. We label the jars and store them in our pantry.

The dried tomatoes are a true culinary treasure, perfect for use in salads, pasta, or as an appetizer. Their intense flavor and rich aromas will delight you every time you savor them, reminding you of sunny summer days. These dried tomatoes are undoubtedly a homemade recipe worth preparing and enjoying!